Rolling mill



March 15, 1927. 7 1,621,284

E. E. SLICK ROLLING MILL Filed Oct. 26, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M175 8 v 7 J, L

% INVENTOR E 2 Sheets-sheaf 2 NVENTOR Filed Oct. 26, 1922 Patented Mar. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES Applicationlled October as, 1922. Serial 110. 597,077.

The present invention relates broadly to rolling mills, and more particularly to rolling m1l1s of the type adapted to roll sheets,

strips and the like.

6' It has heretofore been proposed in the art to' which this invention relates to provide rolling mills with supporting rolls of comparatively large diameter, and an intermediate work roll,'or plurality of rolls, of 10. smaller "diameter adapted to give more nearly a line contact with the material being rolled. This result has heretofore been obtained by either providing supporting bearin for the smaller workrolls, or by pro- 16 vi ing a plurality of lower supporting rolls adapted to support the work roll therebetween. I

Due to the roll spring, increased friction, and the like, constructions in which the in- 20 "termediate rolls have been directly jo 1rnaled in the roll housings have been more or 'less objectionable. Also, the use of a plurality of lower rolls considerably increases the friction, as well as the cost of construction and up-keep.

In order to obviate the objections to mills of the type generalliy used, this invention provides an interme iate work roll or plurality. of work rolls which are supported in such manner that the use of independent ro'll necks and bearings isnot required, effective lateral support for the work rolls is provided, and the use of additional supporting rolls is rendered unnecessary.

In the accompanyin drawings, there is shown for purposes 0 illustration only a preferred embodiment of this invention, it being understood that the drawings do not define the limits of this invention as changes 40 ma obviously be made in the construction an operation herein disclosed without departing from the spirit or scope. of the broader claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a roll stand embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial side elevation, partly broken away and partly in section, of a portion of the construction illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View, partly broken away, illustrating one form of work roll support, and

Fig. 4 1s a vertical sectional viewillustrating a modified arrangement of rolls.

1 mediate the roll necks.

It is well recognized by those skilled in the art that for certain purposes it is desirable to provide as small an area of contact with the material being operated upon as possible. The accomplishment of this result, .however,is accompanied with difliculties due to the fact that the intermediate rolls of small diameter, where such a construction is employed, mustibe maintained in operative position so as to insure a minimum of roll spring and a minimum of friction. .Thisresult may be accomplished as disclosed more particularly in the drawings by providing a roll stand. 2 of any usual construction having a lower" roll 3 and PATENT ol-"rica.

an upper roll 4. The rolls 3 and 4, which may be termed the supporting rolls, are mounted in bearings 5 in the customary manner, and the upper roll may be maintained in position by a screw down 6.

The supporting rolls 3 and 4 are mounted in the roll housing with their axes located in substantially the same vertical plane. Between these .rolls there are provided intermediate work rolls 7 of smaller diameter, which rolls also preferably have their axes in the plane of the axes of the supporting rolls, althgugh they may be slightly ofi'set, if desire The intermediate work rolls may be of any desired length, but preferably have a length which is approximately equal to the effective length of the supporting rolls inter- F or maintaining the work rolls in position, and affording a lateral support therefor, there may be ,provided intermediate supporting members.

Each of these members mayconveniently,

comprise side blocks 8 having a thickness less than the diameter of the work rolls, and

held in spaced relationship by blocks 9. The

opposed inner surfaces of the blocks 8 may be curved, or otherwise shaped, to substantially conform to and effectively co -operate with the sides of the work rolls to prevent lateral displacement thereof. For preventing endwise displacement of the end rolls, the blocks .9 may be formed or provided with thrust bearings 10. It will be apparent that after the work rolls are mounted in position within the supporting members, the respective parts thereof may be held together by transversely-extending bolts 11.

Any convenient means for holding the supporting members in position may be prothe lower bearmgf for the upper supportmay be herent in'the use of rolls providingl ing roll 4 as b movable with t e upper roll bearing.

In order to facilitate the entry of a. piece of material M to be operated upon, as shown in Fi 1, the opposed faces 0 the blocks 9 curved or cut away as indicated at 14. It will be apparent thatthe mill-shown more particularly in Fig. 1 of the drawings is of the reversing type in which the material is passed first in one direction and then in the other, although the mill may obviously be used for continuously rolling ifso desired.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings, there is illustrated an arrangement which may expeditiously be used In a'manner similar to the use of three high mills of usual construction. In this arrangement there is rov-ided a single work roll 7 intermediate t e lower supportin -roll 3' and the upper supporting roll 4'. The work roll, however, may e held in position by a supporting member of the character heretofore described, this member preferably having curved or cut away portions 14' on both sides thereof to facilitate entry of the material M either above or below :he Work roll.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that there is provided a rolling mill in which it is possible to obtain the advantages Ina small area of contact either with one or 0th surfaces of the material being operated upon. The advantages of this invention arise particularly from the manner of supporting the intermediate work rolls whereby the use of roll necks thereon is obviated, the number of su porting rolls reduced to a minimum, and t e possibility of lateral movement or roll s ring materially decreased.

I c aim:

1. In a rolling mill, upper and lower rolls an intermediate roll, and means enga gsaid intermediate roll on substantially iametrically opposite sides thereof and between the ends of the working faces of the upper and lower rolls only for laterally supporting the same.

2. In a rolling mill, upper and lower rolls, an intermediate roll, and supporting means for said intermediate roll comprisin spaced members within the area defined byt ew0rk-, ing faces of the upper and lower rolls only and adapted to en age the same'on substantially diametrically o posite sides thereof throughout substantial y its entire length.

3. In a rolling mill, a roll housing carryolts 13, whereby it is re 'on substantiall ing said intermediate roll, sa d means comprising. spaced. members engaging'said roll diametrica'l y thereof throug out a substantial portion of its length and laterallysup orting the same.

5. In a rolling mill, a ro 1 housing carryin upper and lower rolls,bearing's for sand ro ls, a supporting member extending between said rolls, arallel thereto and cooperating with sai mediate roll carried b said member and terminating short of;sa1d bearings. 1

bearings, and an .interopposite sides 6. In a rolling. mill, a plurality of rolls of' comparatively large diameter, an intermediate work roll of smaller diameter adapted to directly cooperate with either of said first mentioned rolls, the axes of all of said rolls being in a common plane, and means effective on opposite sides of said work roll and in substantiall plane thereof for aterally supporting the same, substantially as describe 7. In a rolling mill, a'plurality of rolls of comparatively large diameter, an intermediate work roll of smaller diameter and the median horizontal of less length than said first mentioned rolls,

said intermediate roll being of substantially uniform diameter throughout its entire length, and means effective on opposite sides of said work roll for laterally supporting the same, substantiall as described.

8. In a rolling m l, a plurality of rolls of comparatively large diameter, an intermediate work roll of smaller diameter, and means of less width than the diameter of said work roll and effective on opposite sides thereof for laterally supporting the same, I

said means being supported at its ends only, substantially as described.

9. In a rolling mill, a plurality of rolls of comparatively large diameter, an intermediate work roll. of smaller diameter,

means of less width than the diameter of the work roll engaging the body thereof for laterally supporting the same, means for preventing endwise movement of the work roll, and a housing havin bearings for said rolls of large diameter on y, substantially as described.

10. In a rolling mill, 'a plurality of rolls of comparatively large diameter, an intermediate work roll of smaller diameter and of a length substantiall equal to the lengthof the working faces 0 said first mentioned rolls, means engaging the body of the work roll for laterally supporting the same, and

"means for preventing endwlse movement of the Work roll, substantially as described.

' 11. In a rolling mill, a plurality of rolls of comparatively large diameter, an intermediate work roll of smaller diameter and rigidly mounted means of less Width than the diameter of the work roll engaging the body thereof for laterally supporting the same, substantially as described.

12. In a rolling mill, a plurality of rolls of comparatively large diameter, an intermediate work roll of smaller diameter and of less length than said first mentioned rolls, and means engagin the body of the work roll only for latera y supporting the same, substantially as described.

13. In a rolling mill, a plurality of rolls of comparatively large diameter, an intermediate work roll of smaller diameter, all of said rolls having their axes in apprdximately the same plane, means of less width than the diameter ofsaid working roll and effective throughout substantially the entire length thereof for laterally, supporting the same, and a housing having bearings for the rolls of comparatively large diameter only, substantially as described.

14. In a rolling mill, a plurality of supporting rolls constructed without roll necks, a plurality of intermediate work rolls adapted to directly engage op osite sides of ma-, terial bein rolled, all 0 said rolls having their axes in the same plane, and means for laterally supporting said work rolls throughout the ma or p0rt1on of the length thereof, substantially as described.

15. In a rolling mill, a plurality of sup-- porting rolls, a plurality of intermediate work rolls of less length than said supporting rolls and of substantially the same diameter throughout their entire, length, all of said rolls having their axes in the same plane, and means for laterally supporting said work rolls throughout the major portion of the length thereof, substantially as V described.

16. In a .rolling mill, a plurality of rolls of comparatively large diameter, an intermediate work roll of smaller diameter than said first mentioned rolls, all of said rolls' having their axes in substantially a common plane, means effective on opposite sides of said work roll for laterally supporting the same while permitting the assage of work above or below the same, and a housing having bearings for said. rolls of comparatively large diameter only.

17. In a rolling mill, a plurality of supporting rolls, a plurality of intermediate Work rolls, all of said rolls having theiraxes in the same lane, means for laterally supporting said major portion of the length thereof, and a housing having bearings for said supporting rolls only.

18. In a rolling mill, supporting rolls, an intermediate roll, a housing for said supporting rolls and having bearings for said supporting rolls only, and means carried by said housing and eflective on said intermediate roll within the workin zone of the supporting rolls for maintaining the intermediate roll in the desired position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. i

EDWIN E. SLICK.

Work rolls throughout the- 

